BRANDEIS BLAST June 1, 2021

BRANDEIS BLASTHave a great summer!!June 1, 2021The Brandeis Blast will return on August 15th.STATE OF THE CHAPTER: A Report on Our ActivityJuly 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021I think that everyone can agree on this word to describe the past year: UNEXPECTED.Nonetheless. it’s really NOT UNEXPECTED for this dedicated group of talented women to haveachieved great things even in a year of isolation.1.We retained 417 annual members. We upped our technology skills and learned to be togethervirtually via zoom.2. We’ve held:about 140 study guide sessions9 Book & Author talks (June is scheduled)frequent discussions on a variety of topics29 committee meetings nominating committee5 board and chapter meetingsAnd sent weekly emailed communications to our members.3. We’ve raised some money too:Brunch & Learn raised 9602 Special Events music programs raised 1240Spring Lunch raised 1300Book & Author series raised over 12,000 (with one more remaining)4. Livia and I have attended Regional meetings, National presidents’ meetings, National committeemeetings, and National focus group meetings as representatives of our chapter.You’ll be pleased to learn that I’ve negotiated with Temple Beth Ami to continue to meet there at amutually agreeable start date. Tentatively, ALL meetings will be on Wednesdays whether we have halfof the social hall or all of the social hall.It has been an expected pleasure to share our time together, as always. It’s been delightful workingwith Livia W as my co-president. I look forward to the new year with Beth S my co-president.Thank you to everyone who shares our success, whether you participated to plan, and/or participatedto attend our MANY zoom events. I look forward to the fall when I hope that we will meet in personagain!Linda RCo-president, Greater Washington Chapter

PRESIDENTS’ MESSAGEWe are cautiously making plans to try to meet in person next fall.May be outdoors or in, masks or none: September is a long way off.Obviously, we will comply with local regulationsand all safety standards of our host location(s).Get Ready for a CELEBRATION for MEMBERS ONLY!Linda and BethCo-PresidentsDon’t forget to renew your membership to join the fun:giving.brandeis.edu/bncrenewIn the Meantime:COMMITTEES ARE WORKING OVER THE SUMMER.Contact the Chair to ParticipateMembershipBeverly AMarlene GSpecial EventsSusan LEllen KStudy GuideJudy GIlene H

BNC Greater Washington ChapterBook & Author SeriesJune 7, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.Meet the AuthorKristin HarmelThe Book of Lost NamesJune 7, 20211:00 p.m.Register HereKristin Harmel is the New York Times bestselling author of a dozen novels including The Book of Lost Names.Eva Traube Abrams, a semi-retired librarian in Florida, is shelving books one morning when her eyes lock on aphotograph in a newspaper nearby. She freezes; it is an image of a book she hasn’t seen in sixty-five years—a bookshe recognizes as The Book of Lost Names.The book in the photograph, an eighteenth-century religious text thought to have been taken from France in thewaning days of the war, is one of the most fascinating cases. It appears to contain some sort of code, but researchersdon’t know where it came from—or what the code means. Only Eva holds the answer—but will she have the strengthto revisit old memories and help reunite those lost during the war?Our final Book and Author zoom series for the season is on Monday, June 7. Leslie M will once again be ourModerator Extraordinaire. We hope you will join us for the season finale.Thank you for all your support over this past year. We rose to the challenge and because of your participation,we raised over 12,000 for Brandeis.We are currently discussing what Book & Author will look like next year given the circumstances. We areentertaining the idea of an in-person luncheon or possibly some hybrid where we have a luncheon and alsoperhaps some authors on Zoom. Please take a minute and let us know if everything remains open, would youstill participate in a Zoom event with an author. Also, let us know if given the current state of affairs if you wouldbe comfortable attending a luncheon with potentially 200 people. It is important to hear from you so we canbring you the programming that most of you want. You can send an email message to either Bonnie L or Pam P.If you have any suggestions for authors for the coming year, please do share. Have a great summer everyone!!Bonnie, Pam, & BarbaraCo-Chairs, Book & Author Committee

WE WANT YOU BACK IN OUR BRANDEIS FAMILYWe have had a very difficult year and finally we are hoping that we are going back to "normal".We are looking forward to a New Year.Study Guide is busy planning activities for us to learn and enjoy.We’re hoping that our lunches and luncheons and FUN will resume too.The one element that is missing is YOU!Please rejoin our Brandeis Chapter!!! We miss you and we need you!We look forward to reconnecting and catching up!Dues are 60 for the year. If you are married and join as a couple it is 100 for the year.We have seen an increase in men joining our chapter.Please do not hesitate to email Marlene G or Beverly A if you have any questions.Beverly and I look forward to an exciting year and want very much for you tobe part of our Brandeis Greater Washington Chapter.STUDY GUIDERegistration Information: Only paid-up current members may register for study groups. Dues may be paidonline at giving.brandeis.edu/BNCmembershipRegistrations must be received at least 3 days before the study group. Please make a list of the studygroups in which you want to register and send the list with your name, phone number, email address, and checkpayable to BNC to the Registrar:Roz A Gaithersburg, MD 20878You will be sent an email confirmation when your registration is processed. If you don’t receive aconfirmation, please contact Roz before the date of the program. An email with the Zoom link will besent before each Study Group.Directions for using Zoom to connect to site.As we will be checking names for registration, please have your name shown on yourZoom account. Admission will be delayed for “iPad 1234” or “mom” as your identity isunknown. Here are directions if you need them:1. Go to zoom.us You will need your email address and zoom password, as it will berequested.2. Go to My Account3. Find Personal and highlight Profile4. Find Name: Edit will be on the right side of the scree5. Enter your first and last name; if desired and appropriate, you can enter yourpartner’s name also

STUDY GROUP JUNERemains of the Jewish Presence in PolandWhile in Poland, Myrna Tech went to visit Goniadz, the village that hergrandmother left to come to America in 1906. The entire cemetery wasovergrown, but she was able to find one gravestone with her family name,Tekotsky. After Hitler’s murder of almost all the Jews in Poland, including allthe Jews in Goniadz, the cemeteries are the only evidence of the long Jewishpresence in Poland. Unless the Jewish cemeteries are restored, there will beno memorial to the generations of Polish Jews. Myrna will discuss theInternational Jewish Cemetery Project's mission to catalogue every Jewishburial site throughout the world and her effort in Poland.Thursday, June 10, 11:00 a.m., 15Minimum: 10 participantsDO YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEAFOR NEXT YEAR’S STUDY GUIDE?Do you know of an interesting speaker for one or two sessions?Do YOU Have a passion for an activity that you would like to share with others?WE WOULD LOVE YOUR IDEAS!!Virtual Tours, Crafts, Cooking or Baking classPUT ON YOUR CREATIVE THINKING CAPLet us know: Judy GIlene HLooking forward to the reNEWedBrandeis Greater Washington Chapter!!We HOPE to SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER!!

SAVE THE DATE for STUDY GUIDE!!!ADVANCE NOTICE OF BNC’sARMCHAIR TRAVEL SERIESJEWISH HISTORY AND JEWISH SITES OF EUROPE!Thursday mornings, 10:30 AMOctober 21, 2021PARISDecember 16, 2021 LONDONFebruary 17, 2022 ROMEGet comfy, no passport required to zip around the globe.Depending on circumstances, you will be able to safely viewthese guided tours in person at a shared location or from yourown living room.SAVE THE DATE for STUDY GUIDE!!!Capacity will be limited.

BOOK FUNDAre you celebrating a special event, such as a wedding? Please support Brandeis’ Library by sendingcelebratory cards. A gift, through the Book Fund, enriches the libraries of Brandeis University. Some of thelevels of support are: 10 “To Life” Tribute card 18 Louis D. Brandeis Tribute card 35 Learned Research Journal which provides funds toward a subscription to a scholarly journal andthe person receiving the gift will receive a keepsake leatherette folder informing them of your gift.Contact Linda H for higher levels of donation.Please include 1 with your donation to cover the cost of postage and the envelope.Cards will be mailed when the donation is received.Linda HSUSTAINING THE MINDLinda H is accepting donations starting at 10.NOTE: Please add 1 to your donation to cover postage.Linda HSUNSHINE COMMITTEEIf you know of any member of our Brandeis community who has had a death or illness in the familyBNC will send a complimentary card to that person from the chapter. If you would like to share asimcha in your family, we will be happy to include your good news in our Simcha Gram publishedbiweekly in the Brandeis Blast.Lois FBirthday Greeting Project – 3rd quarter 2021Send an adorable animated birthday email greeting to a friend for a donation of 1.00 per greeting and helpthe chapter raise money for Sustaining the Mind. One Greeting will be sent with all the names listed.See the BLAST that came in your email.Cathy F

BRANDEIS BLAST June 1, 2021 Have a great summer!! The Brandeis Blast will return on August 15th. STATE OF THE CHAPTER: A Report on Our Activity July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021 I think that everyone can agree on this word to describe the past year: UNEXPECTED.